Politicians representing Tennessee issued the following statement in response to President Barack Obama's State of the Union address:

Congressman Scott DesJarlais:
Once again President Obama's rhetoric simply does not match his actions. While the president talks about building a stronger middle class, his policies are placing heavier burdens on all hardworking Americans.
Under this administration we have seen an onslaught of new federal regulations that are forcing businesses to spend resources to comply with miles of bureaucratic red tape rather than being used to hire additional workers. In fact, the Small Business Administration has estimated that regulations cost small businesses $10,585 each year per employee.
President Obama's deficit spending has resulted in more than 16 trillion dollars of debt. Employers know that today's deficit spending will have to be paid with tomorrow's tax increases. This causes businesses to hold back capital, thereby further hampering job growth. The president has offered no credible plan to control government spending. He talks about a balanced approach, but all he has proposed are more tax hikes on small businesses.
Soaring energy costs are not only hurting Tennesseans at the pump, they are increasing the cost of both the products we buy and the way we do business. But rather than support measures that would have an immediate impact on reducing energy prices, he chooses to appease his far-left liberal base by blocking common sense domestic energy production. Specifically, the president refuses to allow the construction of the Keystone XL pipeline, which would bring oil to the United States from neighboring Canada. The Keystone XL pipeline would not only reduce our dependency on foreign oil, it would create thousands of good paying jobs.
Finally, we know that once the president's health care law is fully implemented, many businesses will no longer offer health insurance to their workers. This will lead to increased healthcare costs for the Americans who will be forced to purchase insurance on the government run healthcare exchanges. But perhaps the group that will be hit the hardest by ObamaCare is our seniors on Medicare, who will see a significant decrease in their access to care.
I agree with the president that a thriving middle class is essential to America's economic growth. But rather than empowering the middle class, this president is more focused on expanding government. His remarks tonight indicate that he has decided that he would rather double-down on his failed political agenda than work to ensure a brighter future for tomorrow and stop this generational theft.

Sen. Lamar Alexander:
"I'm disappointed because the president missed a golden opportunity to present a serious plan to deal with the most serious problem facing our country - how to preserve Medicare by reducing out-of-control entitlement spending."

Congressman Diane Black:
"The president had the opportunity in his State of the Union Address to share with Congress and the American people how he plans to solve the most serious challenges our country faces. Unfortunately, the president offered many of the same failed policies that have resulted in record levels of debt and chronically high unemployment. If government spending was the key to prosperity, our economy would be running on all cylinders right now. But after four years of deficits exceeding $1 trillion dollars, more than 23 million Americans are still struggling to find work. Reckless fiscal policy is hurtful in the short-term and will be devastating in the long run.
"Record deficits - driven by spending, not lack of revenue - are standing in the way of much needed economic growth and job creation. Likewise, the best investment we can make for the future is to stop spending money we do not have today. Unsustainable levels of deficit spending will inevitably lead to higher interest rates in the future - making purchases such as a home, a car and a college education more expensive for everyone and financially out of reach for many.
"Without spending cuts and entitlement reform, America will remain on the fast-track to fiscal collapse. A debt crisis would be devastating, most of all to the middle class and all those who aspire to be in the middle class.  Limited government and free enterprise are fundamental to growing and strengthening the middle class and preserving the American Dream.
"While tough decisions must be made to avert a debt crisis and put America back on a strong, prosperous path, the solutions are all within reach. That is why, I will continue to fight tooth and nail to restore fiscal sanity in Washington; cut red tape that inhibits job creation; enact comprehensive pro-growth tax reform; and save our entitlement programs for current and future generations."

Congressman Marsha Blackburn:
"The President has an obligation to provide the American people with his plans to solve the problems we face as a country. Unfortunately, President Obama's actions have rarely lived up to his lofty rhetoric.
"We do not have a revenue problem; Washington has a spending problem. For five years President Obama has promised cuts, but has failed to deliver when it comes to specifics about how he will work with Congress to reduce the deficits that are crushing hard-working taxpayers.
"Actions speak louder than words and it is my hope that in 2013 the President will finally come to the table and work with us on serious solutions to solve the debt crisis and get our nation's economy back on track. A good first step would be for the President to submit a sensible budget that American families can support."

U.S. Representative Stephen Fincher:
Fincher said, "The time is now to fix our economy and create job opportunities. I was disappointed that now that the campaign is over, President Obama has made it abundantly clear that he has all but given up on reducing spending. I had high hopes that he would follow through on his campaign promises to lower the national debt. Instead it seems he continues to press forth massive government spending. Currently, 42 cents of every tax dollar is used to service our national debt." 
Fincher continued, "The President already has raised taxes, and now he again wants to raise taxes. We all know raising taxes is counter-productive in growing an economy. It time for the President to come through and outline a specific plan to cut spending and reform programs to get our economy moving in the right direction."   Local Politicians Respond to State of the Union Address